A Father Son Chat
by Mrriddler
Summary: Hints of AU and time travel. Shinji confronts Gendo about Rei, Yui and the Human Instrumentality scenario. SR hint, authoritative Shinji, not a complete bastard Gendo. One shot.


**_Disclaimer: I do not claim ownership of Neon Genesis Evangelion or any of the official TV series or Movie related characters, themes, or storyline within this story. _**

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Let's see, many definite signs of AU and time travel. Features Shinji with a lot more knowledge, power and spine talking to his father about his scenario. Light mentioning of Shinji-Rei pairing, indications of tragic character death, but an overall *happy* ending with a reasonably *good* Gendo Ikari.

**A Father Son Chat**

By Mrriddler

*******NERV  HQ, Neo Tokyo 3*******

A solitary figure stood in the debriefing room staring blankly at the black screen before him. A beeping sound of an opened door indicated another's entrance into the room.

"Sir, Commander Ikari, whose presence you requested is here." Informed the man, a guard of some sort. But he was definitely not of NERV section 2, oh no; his uniform was decked out with the symbol of the JSSDF coupled with UN military insignias.

"That will be all, thank you." The man or rather the boy turned around to face the JSSDF guard and his guest. He casually waved the guard off as if he done it before many times. The soldier saluted formally before exiting the door, leaving the detainee with his commanding officer. 

"I never expected this." The Commander of NERV spoke first, expressing his surprise. 

"No, I don't think you would." The boy turned away from the bastard king without hesitation. Seeing that the boy was not concerned about being back stabbed ... literally, the commander held off on pulling out his wild card, his personal pistol. 

"I demand an explanation." Gendo Ikari would later swear that the boy laughed as he uttered the words.

"You will find, father, that the **scenario has changed greatly. As I am the one holding all the cards, it would be prudent of you to drop the whole 'Bastard King' act…unless of course you do not know how to act otherwise." The boy turned around to face the NERV Commander with an almost amused look. "I am no longer your tool, Commander; just a note if you haven't figure it out yet."**

_He's humoring me. _Thought the senior Ikari. Shocking revelation indeed. The commander decided on a different approach.

"Why now?" The question was understood by both. The young boy wistfully dusted his sleeve, his hand gracing over the insignias and stars on his shoulder that identified him as a lieutenant general of the JSSDF and UN. Not bad for a fourteen year old; unusual to say the least. 

"Because the time is appropriate... and necessary. The 16th angel will arrive soon." The commander found the boy piercing through his shade with that unblinking stare of his.

"Correct, general. What is the problem that suddenly required the presence of the JSSDF?" _I'll just humor him as well. The boy did not miss the smile on the man's face._

Shinji sighed. _Playing hardball eh?_

The boy pulled the set of stars on both sides of his shoulders off. 

"Let's forget about the rank for a second shall we? We have not had a father and son talk since...well never." 

Gendo winced internally at the remark. _I deserved that one I suppose._ The NERV Commander removed his shades for the first time in a long while.

"Speak." The word, spoken in a manner similar to how he often said it as NERV CO, demanded one thing: obedience. 

"The scenario originally called for one of the First Children..." The elder Ikari looked at the younger one. "...one of the Reis to detonate Eva 00, taking out the 16th." 

"And now?" 

"Another one from the pilot pool with the newly acquired eva will take Rei's place." Even as the senior Ikari answered the junior one, he knew he said something wrong, though he could see none.

"You still didn't change..." The commander remained confused, but knew the young boy would elaborate so he remained patient.

"You expect me to be pleased, correct?"  

"Correct. Would you prefer to sacrifice your loved one instead?" 

Shinji's response was swift and resolute.

"You are twisting the problem around. You think that I would be showing my ...love for Rei by protecting her from death and sending another in her place?" Shinji's hesitation in discussing his own personal dilemma was understandable, but must be conquered if he was to get through the commander.

"Yes." 

"I suppose that is what you did for mother; sacrificing others and your humanity just to show how much you cared about being with her." Gendo had decided in the course of their meetings to prepare for the unexpected. This was one of them.

"I know practically everything and anything about your scenario and SEELE's; the original GEHIRN project, the Human Complementation Plan, everything... and maybe even a few things you don't know."  Now, the NERV Commander was definitely stunned. 

"In your course to be reunited with mother, might not you have lost sight of your true goal? What is the point of being with her, if she could not and would not return your affection? That is if you could even feel affection or anything else other than indifference after what all this time." Shinji smirked as he saw that he was getting to him. Cracks had already formed on the walls around the commander in this world. Now Shinji intended to shatter them.

"Does what your doing make sense to you ?" 

"The points you have made are irrelevant in this scenario, _general_." Clearly Gendo did not enjoy being talked down upon especially by his son. 

_Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer. Matters of the heart rarely made sense. Shinji knows the feeling that quite well. _

However, the UN general already prepared for this postulate with a counterattack.  

"Consider this, would mother, Yui Ikari have ever chosen you over me? We all know she would have to in the end. So do you believe given what has happened to me with Eva 01, that she would EVER come back to YOU?" Bull eye hit. Shinji sensed the commander's formidable image breaking under the truth of his statement.

"By pursuing your scenario, have you ever thought that you maybe... disavowing her. You may think that you are showing your love to her, but by doing so you may actually be rejecting her love to you. She would have wanted you, expected you to live. She would have eventually come to oppose the Human Instrumentality and the scenario SEELE envisioned... Love and marriage are two way streets. How can you expect it to work if they are suddenly one way only?" 

Gendo Ikari was visibly shaken now. His visions and epiphany had hinted at his mistakes, but his son stated his crimes in black and white. The once proud Bastard King of NERV looked at his son who eyed him with pitying eyes. _NO_

"Did you learn that from personal experience?" Ouch, that hurt. Shinji's eyes hardened immediately. _Bastard, last time I initiate a father son chat._

The boy pinned the stars back on his shoulders, too distracted to see regret flash across his father's eyes. 

"I am merely providing an outside view of the issue." Shinji turned away from his father. Doubting that he truly succeeded in changing the Bastard King, Shinji refused to be broken once again by a man existing in his father's shell. No way, especially when he was this time in a position to save others. He would merely need to apologize to his mother should he fail to save his father. 

"I intend to destroy SEELE." There were enough indications to suggest this to Gendo, but the man was still surprised and impressed by his son's resolve in taking down the world's most powerful institution, a hidden and shadowy one at that. 

"Will you require assistance?" Shinji whirled around, swearing later to have seen a ghost of a smile on his father's face. He knew the NERV Commander already made plans to destroy the angel instrumental to the Instrumentality, but that was slightly different from actively assisting a coup d'état on SEELE.

"Most certainly." 

Father and son remained silent for the next several minutes before a ringing cell phone broke the silence. 

"This is Ikari." 

"Lieutenant General Ikari...sir. The Minister of Defense is waiting in Tokyo 2 for an explanation for the JSSDF's unauthorized action."  

"Understood, I will take care of it. Keep them occupied until then." The younger Ikari heard an indistinct 'yes, sir' as he ended the call.

"That will be all, commander." The JSSDF guard entered once more to escort the NERV Commander out. Gendo stopped half way to the door.

"And, what about Rei and the 16th angel?" If Shinji was startled by Gendo's concern for the Pilot of Eva 00, the boy didn't show it too much or just chucked it up to being the commander's prior attachment to his goal's most vital tool and link.

"I'll deal with it." The elder Ikari had no doubt the boy will. 

"Then why did you wish to speak with me." The two Ikaris locked eye contact. Bingo. Finally they come to the heart of the matter.

"Because I needed an excuse to initiate this talk. But rest assured, I did not carry this conversation for the sake of attempting to save my father. In my mind, he is beyond salvation." Shinji's tactic of speaking to him in the third person was effective for Gendo found it impossible to decipher whether this was truth or deception.

"Then, why." Shinji looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Because mother asked me to..." 

..._Save him, Shinji... the words echoed. Mother's request indeed..._

"I see." For the old NERV Commander, this last exchange would have blissfully cleared everything up once and for all...but given the circumstances, the senior Ikari found this ending incomplete. 

"I wonder what others will think of your transformation from the once shy and quiet little boy." Gendo remarked. Shinji was undoubtedly surprised by his father's open humor, but decided to make a message at the same time.

"I will tell them the truth." 

"Which is?" 

"That the NERV Commander killed me." A small sadistic smile bearing the Ikari hallmark crossed the young boy's face. 

The door closed silently behind the NERV Commander and his escort. Shinji pondered about the wisdom in leaving his father to figure out whether his statement was literal or not.

_Whatever..._

Lt. General Shinji Ikari, UN designated Temporary Supreme Commander of the Japanese Strategic Self Defense Force, pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and wiped out his cell phone once more.

"Lieutenant, get me a secure line through to the Deputy Minister of Defense in Neo Tokyo 2. I need to call in a favor." _Or a black mail rather..._

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**Author's hopeful helpful note on understanding this story: Pay VERY close attention to when the word *commander* is used and when the word *father* is used. They are not interchangeable. **

Comments, pointers, remarks, mistakes? Please review. 


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